Hold On
by amythist7
Summary: AU. On a warm summer night Blossom's car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Good thing a handsome someone shows up to help her out. Written for 1000GreenSun's Summer Reds Contest.


A/N: It's contest time!

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It was a warm summer night, too warm to be stuck at the side of an empty road. Blossom turned the key in the ignition again. The engine sounded like a dying hyena. Not exactly top condition.

Blossom looked at the black screen on the cell phone in the seat next to her. It had died as soon as she tried to call home for help. Blossom sighed as she pressed her forehead to the steering wheel of the car, letting her long auburn hair completely surround her.

She was still a good three miles from the nearest building. At 11:00PM it wouldn't be the wisest decision to try to walk, but what other choice did she have?

"I shouldn't have been here in the first place," Blossom lamented and she turned her head slightly to look out the car window.

She had snuck out of her house and gone to the winding and empty roads near the cliff. It was a dangerous section of the dessert and used mostly by motorcycle gangs and illegal racers. Everyone called it _The Ruff_. She wouldn't even know about the place if she hadn't overheard a conversation held by two ruffians at the public pool.

Blossom secretly loved watching the races on TV. She'd pretend to suffer as she watched a race with Buttercup. Buttercup would watch it for the fast cars and the crashes. Blossom could care less about the make and model of each car. What she longed for was the speed, the feel of the wind in her hair as she accelerated to over 75 miles an hour.

She had come to _The Ruff_ to get that feeling. She had been feeling so stressed ever since graduation. She'll be going off to college soon and her familyexpects her to go into the police force like the rest of them; Bubbles, a police psychologist and Buttercup, a police woman. She is expected to follow in her dad's footsteps and become a forensic scientist, but she isn't quite sure that is what she wants.

Having finally built up enough resolve to make the three mile walk, Blossom was about to head out when she noticed a sleek red convertible coming her way. The moonlight made the car glisten as it quickly approached her.

Knowing this could be her only chance; Blossom got out of her car and began waving her arms like a mad woman in order to get the driver's attention.

"Please be a good person and not a serial killer," Blossom quickly prays when the driver slows down.

The driver finally rolls to a stop about a hundred feet from her car. Blossom can only make out the silhouette as the driver exits his vehicle. It's a man, a well built and tall man wearing a cap. A sudden fear grips Blossom as she realizes it may not have been the best idea to wave down someone who was clearly heading for _The Ruff_ in the middle of the night.

As he gets closer to her car Blossom recognizes the driver. It is much worse than a serial killer, Brick Jojo, son of the leader of one of the most ruthless gangs in Townsville and her father's personal enemy. The professor had been trying to bring in Mojo Jojo for years, but he was never able to get enough evidence on him to keep him locked up for long.

Of all people to run into. Blossom hesitates, but realizing she doesn't have very many options she decides to try and ask for help.

"Blossom?" Brick asked when he finally reaches her. Clearly he hadn't recognized her before. If he had he probably would have kept on driving. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"And I suppose crime never sleeps?" Blossom retorted, hands on her hips.

"Is it a crime to go for a drive past 11?"

"I'm sure you were going for more than a drive."

"You know what, you're right. I've got better things to do then stand here and talk to you."

The smugness Blossom felt at being right quickly disappeared when she realized she would be right back where she started. "Wait," Blossom called in a softer tone than what she had previously been using. "I…" Blossom sighed, hating to admit it. "I need your help."

"Why don't you call daddy? I'm sure he can get his police friends to pick you up in no time," Brick replied, already opening to door to his car.

"My phone is dead. If I could just borrow your phone for a minute I can call a tow truck and you can be on your way."

Brick made the mistake of looking back at her. Blossom looked so scared and vulnerable. Even if she was a stuck up priss, he had to help her, but looking at the car clock he realized he didn't have time to wait for her to make a call.

"Get in," Brick said roughly, barely believing what he was saying.

"What?"

"I'll take you home so get in." Blossom hesitated. Her father had told her not to talk to any of the Jojo's. He would have a heart attack if he knew that she was going anywhere with Brick. "Would you rather walk home?" Brick asked, starting up is engine.

"Fine," Blossom conceded and got into the passenger side of the car. The car looked and smelled like new. The leather seats were cool against her warm skin. Blossom let slip a contented sigh.

Brick smiled. It had been a while since he had a girl in the car and as much as Brick disliked her, he had to admit she wasn't bad to look at.

"Where are we going?" Blossom asked at they neared _The Ruff_.

"I have a race tonight."

Blossom lit up at the word _race_. It was what she'd been waiting for, a real car race. When they got there,it was everything Blossom imagined it would be, illegal drinking, gambling and of course, dozens of nice cars.

"I can't believe I'm going to watch you race illegally," Blossom said, failing to mask her excitement.

"Who said anything about watching? You're going to be _in_ the race."

"Huh?"

"Hold on!"

Before Blossom could register what was happening they were flying down the street at close to 90 miles an hour. Blossom had never gone so fast in her life. Her heart pounded as they made impossible turns and her stomach flipped as every little bump in the road sent them hurtling through the air. She was scared to death.

Brick glanced over at Blossom. She had stopped screaming by now, but her eyes were squeezed shut and he feared she might bite a hole into her bottom lip.

"It's less scary if you open your eyes," Brick said, softer then Blossom had ever heard his voice. He squeezed her knee for reassurance.

Blossom slowly opened her eyes one at a time and gasped at the beauty of the scene before her. They were on a long patch of dessert going over a hundred miles per hour, but all Blossom could look at was the night sky. The moon was huge and it created a silhouette of the cacti and other plant life in the dessert on the horizon. Brick cracked the window slightly, letting Blossom really feel the speed of the car and the wind in her hair. Suddenly the pangs of fear turned into points of excitement. "It's like flying," Blossom said excitingly.

Brick laughed at how cute Blossom was when something excited her. He never really thought about the first daughter of the forensic scientist his father was always complaining about. He had seen her in school a few times; they rarely looked at each other so much as held a conversation. He always imagined her to be a stuck up goody goody. He had never expected to see this kind of expression on her face and never expected her to like racing so much.

The last stretch was a straightaway, meant for little more than building up speed for a fast finish. The cars drifted next to each other for a while, just long enough for Blossom and the driver of the other car to lock eyes for a second. Blossom recognized him as Derrick, a regular at the public pool and one of the guys she happened to overhear talking about _The Ruff_. The second of distraction was all Brick needed.

"Hold on!" Brick yelled as he hit the nitrous and left Derrick in his dust.

Cheers could be heard as they crossed the finish line. Blossom was so caught up in the excitement that she hugged Brick. Their bodies molded together, nothing felt more natural to Brick than holding Blossom. Nowhere felt more secure or warmer to Blossom than in Brick's arms. At the same moment they both seemed to remember who they were and jumped away immediately.

"Uh, good race," Blossom said awkwardly, looking at anything but Brick's eyes.

"Yeah, thanks." Brick said, stuffing his hands in his pockets to keep from touching Blossom.

Derrick walked past them, mumbling a bitter congratulations as he left.

"So, I guess I'll take you home now."

"Thanks."

…

Blossom had trouble falling asleep that night. Images of Brick and that beautiful desert night sky kept popping into her head. She couldn't get over the excitement she felt. Excitement she's only felt when she was with him.

Was it the speed of the car or the warmth of Brick's hand on her knee that she like so much? The question kept playing over and over again in her mind. She needed to find out.

Blossom woke up in the morning and quickly got dressed for her summer job as a life guard at the local pool.

She wasn't even sitting on her chair yet when she noticed Derrick waving her over. He was leaning against a fence away from everyone else.

"What do you want Derrick?" Blossom asked as she crossed her arms, slightly annoyed that he was taking her away from her important duties.

"I have to say, I was quite surprised to see you at _The Ruff _last night." Derrick appraised her in her life guard suit which was a red one piece with red and white swimming shorts. It made Blossom feel a bit uncomfortable. She'd never get used to the stares she got.

"Well I can't say I'm a regular."

"It's just, you always struck me as the honest type. To cheat at illegal racing and with Brick, it's going to take some getting used to."

Blossom frowned at the word cheat. "Cheat? I did no such thing."

"Then what do you call purposefully distracting me?" Derrick got off the fence, standing only inches away from Blossom.

"I didn't do it on purpose," Blossom defended. What gave him that idea?

"Brick certainly meant for it to happen. I heard him talking about it."

Blossom narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean? I ran into Brick by accident."

"Well, he taking you along was no accident. He knows how I feel about you."

"How…how you feel about me?" How had the topic changed so drastically?

"I like you Blossom. Isn't it obvious? Brick knows that and used you. If you had been in my car, I would have won." By the time Derrick was done talking his face had gone completely red.

Blossom wasn't sure how to reply. She was flattered by Derrick's affection, but hurt by Brick. She didn't even know why it hurt her that he used her. They barely talked in school and he and his family were known criminals. How could she allow him to get in her head? To make her think that he could possibly be anything other than a criminal?

"Do you…do you want to ride in my car tonight? I have a rematch against Brick at midnight."

Before Blossom could think about what she was saying she already agreed. There was no reason she shouldn't give Derrick a chance.

Blossom returned home after her shift, still confused about Brick. She opened her front door to find none other than the man plaguing her thoughts on her couch.

"You're finally home." Buttercup tossed Blossom's car keys to her. "Check it out, Brick fixed it. He's actually pretty good at it. You better hurry before dad comes home and kicks him out though."

Brick smiled at Buttercup and walked to the door with Blossom. She remained silent at they went to her car.

"Turns out it was just a bit of gunk clogging up your engine. I cleaned it out and it's as good as new."

Blossom remained silent. Why was he doing this? Was he just going to use her for something else? Perhaps he wanted her along for the race tonight.

"Hey, you could at least say thank you." Brick was starting to get annoyed at her silence.

"Thank you? For what? Using me to win your precious race or for playing with my emotions? I don't think either on deserves my thanks," Blossom said in a tone so low it almost scared Brick.

"Have you gone crazy or something?" Brick asked, looking at Blossom like she just turned the most hideous shade of purple.

"Derrick told me all about what you said. How you used me to win the race."

Brick just stared at her. How could she believe Derrick over him? His shock quickly became anger. "Don't give yourself so much credit. I would have won with or without you."

"Then good luck winning your race tonight _without_ me!" Blossom yelled.

"I don't need any luck you have to give." With that, Brick hopped in his car and sped away.

…

"I'm not sure I want to do this," Blossom said to Derrick, seconds after getting into his car.

"What changed your mind in a few hours?" Derrick asked, making no move to turn the car around.

"It's illegal Derrick. I'm just not the sort of girl who does things like this." Blossom said.

"You did it yesterday with Brick." Derrick pointed out.

"That was different. I was…it couldn't be helped."

"Well I'm not turning around so I suggest you make yourself comfortable."

"This is kidnapping!" Blossom yelled, hand on the door handle. "I refuse to help you win anything!" Blossom sunk low into the seat. If nobody knew she was in the car, there was no way she could affect the outcome of the race.

"Fine. You can get out when we get to _The Ruff_ you'll watch the race from the sidelines and I'll take you home after."

Blossom cast a sideways glance at Derrick, not sure whether to believe him. At least he seemed sincere which did a lot to ease her mind.

…

Brick waited by his car, talking to some random guy to pass the time. He was early for his race, a rare occurrence.

Brick was suddenly distracted by a flash of long red hair. His eyes followed the girl until he could get a look at her face.

It wasn't Blossom. Why would she be here in the first place, Brick thought, angry at himself for even looking.

Another flash of red hair invaded his periphery. Brick, determined not to look again, turned the other way, but when the sight of a familiar pink bow caught his eye he realized it was Blossom.

"What is she doing here," Brick thought out loud. "and in Derrick's car."

Brick knew what kind of driver Derrick was, reckless, dangerous and stupid. There was no way he could be planning to let Blossom ride in the race with him tonight.

Derrick rolled to a stop in front of Brick, beaming at him as if he knew just how much he was getting under his skin. Brick decided to focus on Derrick, knowing that Blossom wouldn't listen to a word he had to say.

"What's she doing here?" Brick asked, not beating around the bush.

"Eye candy, what else?" Derrick replied smugly as if Blossom was one of the many fan girls he was always claiming to have.

Blossom wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult so she remained quiet.

"You know she's the daughter of a cop. You hurt her or so much as scare her, one phone call and she could have us all in jail."

Blossom spoke up this time, no longer able to keep quiet. "First, he's a forensic scientist not a cop and second, if you thought I was going to send you to jail, why did you bring me with you yesterday?"

"I don't drive recklessly like some people," Brick countered, raising his voice a bit.

"It's a drag race. All of it is reckless." Blossom raised her voice to match Brick's

"You're impossible." Brick turned to speak to Derrick. "If she stays in your car I'm not racing."

"Fine by me, a forfeit is still a loss, you might as well hand over the keys to your car to me now." Derrick held out his hand.

"Wait a minute." Blossom brought Derrick's hand back down. "You mean this race is for your car?" She asked Brick. "You treat that thing like it's your first born, how could you bet it in a race?"

"How do you know how I treat my car?"

"Anyone with eyes can see how you treat it. Sometime when you're in school you just stare at it. It's kind of creepy actually."

"Well Miss stalker, if you weren't watching me like a hawk then maybe you wouldn't be so creeped out."

Derrick suddenly jumped in. "Not that I don't love watching this, I want to either start this race or get my car and go home."

Blossom folded her arms as she waited in the passenger seat.

"Oh that's right, don't you want to watch from the sidelines?" Derrick asked Blossom. Brick got back in his car; hand on the steering wheel readying himself for the race.

"Not a chance."

Derrick started the race right away. No helpful warning or signal that he was going to start, he just floored it, putting some good distance between himself and Brick.

"Is he even trying?" Blossom asked Derrick as she looked back at Brick, but no sooner had the question escaped her lips than Brick caught up to them.

Derrick cursed when he noticed that Brick had already caught up. He had a wild look in his eyes as if he had completely forgotten about Blossom or anything but the race.

A wide turn was coming up followed by a long stretch by a cliff that was too narrow for more than one car to make it through. Even a novice like Blossom could see that whoever made it out of this turn first would clearly win the race.

Derrick approached the turn fast, too fast. "Derrick, if you don't slow down we might go over the edge." Blossom tried not to sound worried, but the thought of sliding off the edge of the cliff was terrifying.

Derrick didn't respond or slow down.

"Derrick please, you're scaring me." She didn't want to resort to begging, but her life was on the line. The turn was quickly approaching and at the last moment Derrick slammed on his breaks and turned the wheel.

Somehow Derrick had defied the laws of physics and made that turn, but all that speed was for nothing when Blossom realized that Brick had made the turn before Derrick. He was ahead, but not by much.

"Derrick, you have to make it to the ledge before Brick."

"I know that, now shut up and let me drive."

Blossom frowned. Derrick wasn't a sweet person to begin with, but he was downright mean when he was racing. Blossom would never tell him, but Brick was right, she shouldn't have come.

They were out of the turn now and coming on the ledge. It was close, but Brick was clearly ahead, Derrick was going to have to slow down and let Brick in front. The problem was, he wasn't slowing down.

"What are you doing? Brick's ahead, you have to let him in." Blossom yelled, the fear spilling out with her words.

"No I don't," Derrick answered; looking the scariest Blossom had ever seen him.

"He's not going to let you in."

"Oh I have a feeling he will."

The ledge wasn't as narrow as it looked, but still not big enough for two cars. Derrick was on the side closest to the edge, his wheel drifted so close to the edge an inch more and they would go tumbling down.

"Stop it Derrick, just let him get in front."

Derrick's eyebrows were wrinkled in concentration. Out of nowhere a misplaced rock sent Blossom and Derrick flying in the air. If they came down wrong they we're goners for sure. Blossom let out the loudest scream she had.

Brick couldn't believe how stupid Derrick was being. He was driving on the edge of the cliff like he had a death wish. Brick tried to ignore his stupidity, but Blossom's sudden scream reminds him of Derrick's precious cargo. Brick taps the brake to let Derrick ahead of him and get Blossom to safety.

Blossom looks at Brick's car in silent appreciation. "That was the stupidest thing I've ever seen. If you want to kill yourself don't do it with me in the car."

Derrick didn't acknowledge her. It wasn't long before he was crossing the finish line only slightly ahead of Brick.

Derrick hopped out of his car to meet the cheering crowd. Blossom slowly walked around the car. She felt so bad for helping a jerk like Derrick win.

"Hey, for all your help, you can drive my car home."

"I don't want to be anywhere near you or your car."

Derrick shrugged. "Not like I need you anymore, do what you want."

Blossom glared at Derrick before turning to leave. Brick had left his car with the keys near the finish line, but he was nowhere in sight. Blossom walked further away from the lights of the crowd into the dark desert.

"Brick? Are you out here?" Blossom called into the darkness. He had to be there, he couldn't have gone that far. "Brick!" Blossom called again. "Listen, I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I should have listened to you about Derrick and I should have given you a chance to explain. When I drove in the car with you it felt…exhilarating, yet you made me feel safe. You opened my eyes to a wonderful experience, but it wasn't just the thrill of the race that I liked." Blossom stopped talking. She felt stupid for talking to the air, Brick was probably on his way home by now. Even if she did find him tonight he wouldn't want to talk to her. She ruined everything.

"Hey, you going to just stand there or are you going to hop on?"

It was Brick's voice. He was on a motorcycle. Brick took off his helmet and handed it to Blossom. He smiled a heartwarming smile at her. Blossom smiled back, relived that he was there and knowing that he always would be there when she was alone and needed someone.

Blossom placed the helmet on her head and hopped on the bike.

"Hold on!"

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A/N: I'm not too great at oneshots. I hope it turned out okay.

Voting is over and guess who won! I did! First place, happy dance! Thanks to everyone read, reviewed, or voted for me. It means a lot.


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